by Fred Thorpe
CHAPTER VIII.
A STARTLING SITUATION.
Everyone in the house stared at Al, and Mr. Wattles whispered in hisear:
"Why, he means you! What have you been up to? I tell you, this is agreat night for Boomville."
Evidently Maj. Duncan expected some acknowledgment of his complimentfrom Al, for after a moment's silence he added:
"I repeat, I refer to the young gentleman yonder, Mr. Allen Allston."
"Get up and bow," whispered the manager, in our hero's ear.
Scarcely knowing what he was doing, Al obeyed.
The entire audience applauded, although there were not three personsamong them who knew why they did it.
"Will the young gentleman kindly step upon the stage?" went on themajor.
Without speaking, Mr. Wattles seized the boy by the arm, and fairlydragged him through a narrow door in the rear of the box.
"This is the easiest way of getting on the stage," he said. "I wonderwhat they have got on foot. They ought to have told us. In a case likethis it is always the proper caper to have a witty impromptu speechready, and they ought to have given you a chance to prepare one at yourleisure--they really ought. But this is not New York. Now, then, my boy,step out on the stage. Don't you hear them shouting for you?"
But Al held back.
"I don't understand all this," he said. "What do they want with me?"
"Go and find out."
"But----"
"Allston! Allston!" came from all parts of the theater.
"Go on!"
And Mr. Wattles fairly pushed his companion upon the stage.
It is not necessary to say that Al was greatly embarrassed as heconfronted the sea of faces. His appearance was greeted with wildcheers, though the audience did not know what they were cheering about.
In a few moments silence was again restored through the efforts of Maj.Duncan, who then cleared his throat and began:
"It may not be known to many of you that we have a hero, a genuine hero,among us, but it is a fact. And that hero now stands blushingly upon thestage before us. Ladies and gentlemen, picture to yourselves thisscene--a team of maddened horses rushing at a terrible rate of speeddirectly for a spot where a defenseless child has fallen on the highway.Apparently the little girl is doomed to a horrible death. The spectatorsstand spellbound--all save one, a youth. He rushes forward and, at therisk of his own life, saves the child from the fate that a momentbefore seemed inevitable. That youth, ladies and gentlemen, was AllenAllston; the little girl he rescued was the child of our mayor."
The major's rather theatrical speech was here interrupted by franticapplause, much to the orator's gratification and Al's embarrassment.
When silence once more reigned the major went on:
"It is not necessary that I enlarge upon the heroism displayed by thisnoble youth; it is evident to all of you, and the performance hasalready, perhaps, been delayed too long. I will close by requesting theacceptance by Mr. Allston of this token of esteem and appreciation fromMayor Anderson, who has delegated to me the most agreeable duty ofmaking the presentation speech. Take it, my young friend; and alwayswear it in remembrance of those whom you have placed under so heavy adebt of gratitude."
As he spoke Maj. Duncan extended a diamond ring to the boy.
Al was obliged to cross the stage to receive it. By this time he hadpartially regained his usual self-possession. He took the ring with agraceful bow, and attempted to speak.
But the effort proved a total failure. The words stuck in his throat; hecould only give utterance to an inaudible murmur.
"Speech, speech!" cried a dozen or more persons, but Al was unable togratify their wishes. In great confusion he retired to the comparativeseclusion of the stage, where Mr. Wattles met him and grasped his hand.
"I had no idea you were a hero," he said. "But why didn't you make aspeech? Oh, I understand--stage fright. Well, never mind, you're thehero of the hour, anyway. Isn't that ring a sparkler! Just completesyour outfit as advance agent; they always wear a diamond ring, you know.Well, this is a great night, and no mistake."
By this time the performance had been resumed. It was brought to asuccessful conclusion two hours later, Mrs. Anderson having been calledbefore the curtain no less than ten times.
"I'm glad everything went off so well," said Mr. Wattles to Al, when theaudience had dispersed. "I was a little afraid that fellow, Farley,would try to make some trouble for us. He's just about crazy enough fromdrink to do something desperate if the idea occurred to him. Look outfor him, Allston."
"I'm not afraid of him," said Al.
"Nevertheless, be on your guard. Well, didn't everything go off in greatshape? That presentation alone will be worth a good many dollars to theshow. Accounts of it will be published all over the country."
"I wish they had given me the ring in private," said Al.
"You do? Well, I don't! You must get over some of that modesty of yours;you won't need it in your career as advance agent. Going now? Well,good-night. You'll be ready to start for the next town at noonto-morrow?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. Look out for Farley on your way home."
"I'm not worrying about him," laughed Al. "I guess you're more afraid ofhim than I am, sir. Good-night."
Al lived a little way out of the town. To get home it was necessary forhim to ride for half an hour in a horse car, and then to walk somedistance along a lonely country road.
Singular to say, the subject that engrossed his thoughts during the ridewas not the events of the day, not the new career that he was about tobegin. One face was constantly before his mental vision, the face of thebeautiful young girl--Miss Gladys March, the bills called her--who hadplayed the part of _Ethel Darlington_.
Why did her face haunt him so persistently? he asked himself. She was acomplete stranger to him, yet, somehow, he felt as if he had known herall his life.
His thoughts were still on her when he left the car and began his lonelywalk.
So absorbed was he in meditation that he did not notice that from themoment he alighted from the car he was followed at a short distance by aman whose face was concealed by a high coat collar and a slouch hat.
The full moon was shining brightly, but Al's pursuer lurked in theshadows of the trees and shrubbery that lined the road on either side.
For half an hour this pursuit of the boy continued; then the man gave ashrill whistle.
As Al turned, three masked men sprang from a clump of bushes on hisleft and seized him. Before he could cry out a gag was thrust into hismouth. A few moments later he was bound hand and foot.
Then one of his assailants lifted him in his arms and bore him up a sideroad, near which the assault had been committed. A covered wagon stoodin waiting here. Al was placed in it; then his captors and the man whohad followed him from the car, entered, and the vehicle was drivenrapidly away.
At the expiration of, perhaps, half an hour the wagon was brought to astandstill, and Al was lifted out.
It was a strange sight that met his gaze.
Half a dozen masked men were assembled under a tree, over one of theboughs of which was flung a stout rope.
One of the strange party stepped forward and removed the gag from theboy's mouth, saying:
"If you have any last remarks to make, make 'em now, and be quick aboutit. We don't propose to fool away any time on this job."
"What does all this mean?" gasped Al. "What are you going to do?"
"We're going to string you up in just about two minutes at the outside,"was the reply; "so if you have anything to say you'd better hurry."
